


There was nothing (but love)

by DustyThoughts (DameEphemere)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Kyungsoo is very confused, Light Angst, M/M, Soft and happy ending, and Jongin is having an internal struggle, so dont worry, they just need to talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:20:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29168724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DameEphemere/pseuds/DustyThoughts
Summary: Kyungsoo wakes up in the middle of the night in an empty bed, like in the last three weeks. He knows that his husband is in his study, and wonders what made Jongin act like this.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai
Comments: 18
Kudos: 108
Collections: EXO Bakery - 2021





	There was nothing (but love)

**Author's Note:**

> I struggled for this to be no more than 1k words and decent at the same time. I hope you like it, and especially, I hope I have done justice to the prompt (Ticket #189) ❤

* * *

Kyungsoo shifted on the bed before opening his eyes, finding himself in the darkness of his room. He felt cold, and he knew again that he was alone. A big sigh left his mouth before he got to his feet, and he headed towards the place where he assumed his husband was in the middle of the night.

Jongin was in his study, completely lost in thought and staring out the window, allowing Kyungsoo to spy on him without being discovered.

It had been eight months since their wedding, but in the last few weeks Jongin seemed to be intentionally avoiding him, talking only about what was necessary every time they met for dinner, and treating him distantly. Kyungsoo didn't understand why the sparkle in his eyes seemed to have faded, why Jongin pushed him away every time he tried to get closer.

Kyungsoo twitched every time he remembered the fact that his marriage to Jongin had been arranged by their parents, but if he had to be totally honest, a part of him had been relieved to realize how kind and caring his husband was. 

They had never seen each other before the wedding, but over the months, Kyungsoo had believed that they had become some kind of friends, friends who lived together and shared a room. There was only one main room in their house, a gift from Jongin's parents, and after days when the youngest had slept on the couch, Kyungsoo had decided that the bed was big enough for both of them.

Kyungsoo had to admit that his mood hadn't been the best for the first few months, but Jongin on the contrary, had given his all to make their coexistence the best possible. Jongin really was someone sweet and extremely patient, always with a smile to offer him, even when his parents pissed him off, and that's why Kyungsoo didn't understand his recent behavior.

The man in that study didn't have any smile, his expression wasn't the friendly one he had become used to, and his eyes seemed to hide things that Kyungsoo couldn't reach. The man in front of him was his husband, with whom he had shared many nights of soft smiles and short laughs, but Kyungsoo couldn't recognize him, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had ever known him.

Had that earlier behavior been a bad joke? Because Kyungsoo felt lost in his own home, without Jongin's comments about the weather, or his poor attempts to cook something for both of them, or details about his day at the office. He had even stopped asking about Kyungsoo's job at the restaurant. Jongin seemed to avoid spending time with him, he would lock himself in his study until late at night and wake up before Kyungsoo to go to work, so they couldn't talk too much. 

After three weeks, Kyungsoo was upset, more than that, he was hurt, because he couldn't find a reason to be treated like this. He was hurt, because his heart seemed to leap inside his chest every time Jongin returned home, only to break a little when he received no more than a simple greeting. There were no more smiles, no invitations to go out to dinner, there was nothing.

And Kyungsoo felt like a fool for falling like that.

[…]

"What's wrong?" Kyungsoo finally asked, and Jongin stopped on his way to studying him.

"What do you mean?" Jongin frowned in confusion, and Kyungsoo sighed before standing up.

"You avoid me, you run away every time I want to talk to you and right now, you can't even look me in the eye, Jongin-ah. What's wrong?" Kyungsoo could see the way Jongin's jaw tightened, his entire body frozen in place.

"I've been busy," Jongin said without much conviction. 

"Busy?" Kyungsoo couldn't help but laugh, feeling a lump form in his throat. That was his excuse for ignoring him for almost a month? Kyungsoo wanted to cry and yell at him at the same time. "Just tell me you don't want me here anymore and I'll go, I don't want to keep bothering you."

"It's not that, I…" Jongin stopped mid-sentence and clenched his hands into fists. 

"What is it then?" Kyungsoo stared at him, and crossed his arms when he received no reply. "At least look at me, damn it."

Jongin looked at him, and Kyungsoo could see a lot of emotions in those expressive eyes. Fear and hesitation among others.

"Stay," Jongin asked, and Kyungsoo felt his lower lip tremble.

"Are you going to keep avoiding me? I don't think I can take it anymore." Kyungsoo didn't want to leave, but he wasn't going to stay if things stayed the same.

"Stay with me," Jongin begged, and Kyungsoo felt his heart race inside his chest. It was the tone of voice he had used, soft and vulnerable, as if Kyungsoo was important to him. Preciated.

"Why are you behaving this way? Did I do something to bother you? I know I'm not the nicest person of all but―"

"I love you," Jongin said in a whisper, "I love you, hyung," he repeated more clearly.

And Kyungsoo forgot how to breathe, how to speak.

"I did not want to love you, I know that this marriage is a sham created by our parents and I know that you only see me as a friend but… in these months I ended up falling in love with you, and I couldn't be by your side without feeling that I was going to ruin things." Jongin let out a great exhalation, as if he had been keeping that inside his chest for a long time. "I want you to stay with me, but if you decide to leave now… I'll understand."

Kyungsoo looked into Jongin's eyes, the ones that looked at him with such affection that he felt dizzy, and knew he couldn't get away from him.

"I'll stay," he said before closing the distance to kiss him tenderly.


End file.
